screen studies
by P.Ramakrishnan 
When the blades of a storm fan flew out of control and fatally wounded a film assistant in the face, little did director Sanjay Leela Bhansali know that the tragedy would be the first of many catastrophes to hit the production of his 500-million rupee (HK$81.5 million) opus, Devdas. The musical's producer, Bharat Shah, a former diamond merchant-turned-financier, was also arrested for his purported dealings with the Indian mafia (the case is still pending in Mumbai High Court). There were more accidents on the Mumbai set and the death of another member of the production's crew caused India's Movies Action Dummy Effects Association (MADEA) to investigate the most expensive set in Bollywood.
Bhansali called in the priests and pundits and a "havan" (holy pyre) was lit to appease the gods in the creation of a film the local media had long said was jinxed. Fortunately, the association's representatives and local politicians were so impressed by the Devdas set's infrastructure that they asked the crew to let it stand as a cine-monument in India's film capital.
Weeks later, production ground to a halt when the musical's crew and cast of hundreds were not paid in time. The producer had suffered a major heart attack during his 16-month stint in prison and Bhansali was forced to borrow money from friends to pay his over-worked staff.
Members of the Shah family insisted Bhansali complete his "dream project" and, with the support of his A-list cast, the film was completed in 260 shifts, two-and-a-half years after the musical's first scenes were filmed.
On May 23, 2002, Devdas' lead actors Shah Rukh Khan, the former Miss World Aishwarya Rai and Bhansali finally had their moment of respite at the Cannes Film Festival, where the film premiered. There was a standing ovation for the three-hour-plus extravaganza and Time film critic Richard Corliss labelled it "the most visually ravishing movie ever", calling Bhansali "a young master of the medium".
Devdas has a precarious future, however. It has been more than a decade since a tragedy struck Bollywood box-office gold in a country notoriously keen on feel-good romances and happy endings.
Sarat Chandra Chatterjee's classic novel Devdas has inspired nearly a dozen Indian films, all of which have received the warm appreciation of the critics but only lukewarm responses from their audiences.
First published in Bengali in 1917, Devdas' simple story is often regarded as the ultimate tragedy in Indian literature.
The ingredients of the plot may seem all too familiar: there are poor girl-rich boy star-crossed lovers, a prostitute with a heart of gold, a love triangle and an unrequited love culminating in death and destruction.
Childhood sweethearts Devdas (Shah) and Paro (Rai) wish to marry but the former's arrogant and affluent family disapprove of the match. Humiliated, Paro's mother curses Devdas' family.
Devdas asks Paro to forget him as he can't go against his family's wishes but he later recognises the intensity of his love. On her wedding day to another man, Paro in turn spurns Devdas, who finds solace in alcohol and the dance of courtesan Chandramukhi (the extraordinary danseuse Madhuri Dixit). The courtesan falls for the perpetually inebriated lover who fails to reciprocate her affection and mourns instead for his lost love. While Devdas falls into an alcohol-sodden depression, Paro fails to find wedded bliss. Then the film's three main characters find salvation in their own tragic end.
The director probably intended to highlight the tragedy of Devdas with a beautiful backdrop. Complementing the film's gorgeous cast, a coterie of the finest designers - Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla (who outfitted Dame Judi Dench and others at the Oscars) along with National award winner Neeta Lulla - created the 1930s look with richly brocaded, mirror and gold-embedded costumes for the leading ladies.
Bhansali engaged four of India's leading dance directors for the film's eight songs but his coup was getting the maestro Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj to compose, sing and choreograph the central dance for the diva Chandramukhi. But while international critics enjoyed Devdas in Cannes, there are doubts about whether this musical melodrama will emulate India's Oscar-nominated Lagaan in finding an overseas audience.
Defying modern trends, the lengthy romance is chaste; none of the leading characters kiss, let alone do anything else to stir the story's devastating drama.
If Devdas' producers hope to make their money back on foreign returns, they face another battle with Hollywood's summer releases.
Even in India, the year's biggest hits have been Raaz (an Indianised version of What Lies Beneath) and the Hindi-dubbed flick Spider-Man. And according to Taran Adarash of India's Trade Guide, 88 of the 101 Hindi films released so far in 2002 failed to cover their costs.
Although Devdas is up against the odds, the musical has aroused unprecedented curiosity. Its songs have topped the Indian charts for the past month and the film's advance bookings have been staggering. Even with the best of Bollywood behind it, however, it remains to be seen whether Devdas, the costliest Indian film ever made, will be a historic hit... or a lamentable loss.
Devdas.
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and Hong Kong Arts Centre, July 14-18.
Tickets $220, $180, $120, Ticketek.
Inquiries, contact Morning Star: 2368 2947
Publication - Date: 11.07.2002
Author: P Ramakrishman
Publication: SCMP
Column: Screen Studies
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